The Chromatic OS
Chroma is an x86_64 kernel, soon to be Operating System.
It uses the bootboot bootloader.
It can currently:
- read keyboard input
- draw to the screen, including text and basic images.
- output audio over the PC Speaker
- manage physical memory
- manage virtual memory
- switch to ring 3
- switch tasks
- schedule tasks
- handle processes and threads
- handle mouse input
- display a basic 3D object
- display a basic 3D world
- display a basic 3D world in VR
Once we reach this point... well, the world is our oyster.
Chroma can be built on Windows or Linux.
I (Curle) use Windows for developing Chroma.
Simply have an x86_64-elf-gcc and ld (included!) in your PATH, run cmake
in the source directory, then make
.
It will compile the kernel, and create an OS image with mkbootimg
.
The system for linux is a lot easier, but you do need an x86_64-elf-gcc cross compiler. You can get one from the AUR on Arch-based distros (like Manjaro), or make one yourself using the OSDev Wiki guide
Simply run the init.sh
to generate a makefile, then make
to create the image file.
The generated IMG works in QEMU, or on a physical test device (unlike a lot of other hobby OSes!) This means you can use any emulator or hypervisor to run it.